Peters, Helena Hiebert (1875-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Sep 3 p. 6

Birth date: 1875 Mar 24

. . .

— Mrs. Helena Hiebert Peters, wife of the late Gerhard P. Peters of Lehigh, Kans., died Tuesday atthe Bethesda hospital in Goessel where she had been a patient for of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Banman the past eight weeks. Mrs. Peters was born in Alexanderwohl, South Russia on March 24, 1875. She is survived by the following children: George H. of Durham, Helen (Mrs. August Epp) of Newton, Herbert of Lehigh, Willard of Wichita, Hulda (Mrs. P. H. Janzen) of Henderson, Neb., Theodore of Concordia, Marie Ann of Blackwell, Okla., James of Lehigh, and Edison of Skiatook, Okla. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the Lehigh Mennonite church with Rev. Peter Goering officiating.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Sep 17 p. 9

text of obituary:

HELENA HIEBERT PETERS

Helena Hiebert Peters, our mother, was born in Alexanderwohl, South Russia on March 24, 1875. She was the daughter of Abraham and Helena Hiebert. At the age of six weeks her parents brought her to Manitoba, Canada.

After a brief stay in Canada, her parents settled on a farm near Hillsboro, Kansas. She attended the Hope Valley rural school and the Hillsboro public schools.

On April 5, 1896, she was united in marriage to Gerhard P. Peters. Their home was established in their parental neighborhood. In 1908 our parents acquired a new home near Lehigh which mother was privileged to enjoy the remainder of her days. During the last ten years this home was shared with her son James and his family. This happy relationship was broken by her departure on September 1, 1953, at 10:35 a.m. at the age of 78 years, five months, and eight days.

She was preceded in death by father in 1935, her first son in 1897, and a great-granddaughter in 1951. Those who remain to mourn her departure are: George and wife Ruth, of Durham; Helen and husband August Epp, of Newton; Herbert and wife Anne, of Lehigh; Willard and wife Ruth, of Wichita; Hulda and husband Peter H. Janzen, of Henderson, Nebraska; Theodore and wife Adeline, of Concordia; Marie Anne of Blackwell, Okla.; James and wife Marjorie, of Lehigh; Edison and wife Betty, of Skiatook, Okla; 21 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. She also leaves her youngest sister Marie, Mrs. Calvin Niswander, of Upland, Calif.; five sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law.

Mother’s life centered around her family and in later years her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her enjoyment and inspiration. She spent much time reading. Poetry and the old hymns were her favorites. Mother’s philosophy of life was expressed by the poet who wrote, “Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty. That is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." She faced death as she faced every issue in life, with courage and a steadfast faith in a brighter dawn. If mother could speak to us now, we believe she would speak in the words of the poet Browning when he wrote, “And though I pass through a dark and endless sea of cloud, I shall not be afraid. I press God’s lamp close to my breast. Its splendor, soon or late, shall pierce the gloom. I shall emerge one day."— The Family.